Politics has once again heated up regarding the ‘Rafale‘ deal. Former Congress President Rahul Gandhi is trying to corner the ‘Modi government’ on this issue. Former Congress President, Rahul Gandhi is hopeful that his hard work will not go in vain in the Rafale case. Gradually such facts are coming to the fore, after which the present central government will be forced to tell how the number of fighter ships has gone from 126 to 36.
Former Defense Minister AK Antony says, Prime Minister Modi went to Paris on April 10, 2015. He unilaterally announced the purchase of 36 Rafale aircraft without going through any tender process and in complete violation of the ‘Defence Procurement Procedure’. Congress leader Pawan Khera said, if Rahul Gandhi decides to do something, he is completely behind it till some results come out. Tell me one leader of opposition except Rahul Gandhi, who has been raising his voice on Rafale.
In fact, before the 2019 Lok Sabha elections, many opposition parties, including the Congress party, tried to surround the Modi government on the issue of Rafale. The Congress party had brought this as a major issue in the election campaign. Ahead of the elections, a bench headed by Chief Justice of the Supreme Court Ranjan Gogoi had dismissed all the review petitions filed in the Rafale case.
Recently, French NGO Sherpa, which specializes in financial crime, filed an official complaint in the Rafale case involving “corruption” and “abuse of office” among other allegations. A judge has been nominated to investigate the Rafale deal in France. The Congress party has once again attacked the BJP and the Center on this basis.
French Public Prosecution Services has now appointed a judge to investigate corruption, influence paddling and favoritism in the 36 aircraft ‘Rafale’ deal. The corruption in the Rafale deal is prima facie evident. The intriguing silence of the Modi government points to a conspiracy to curb corruption. What is even more surprising is the refusal of the BJP government to investigate and punish the culprits.
As part of India’s biggest defense deal, negotiations were underway to procure 126 Rafale aircraft pursuant to an international tender, which envisages the purchase of 108 aircraft to be built in India and 18 in flight condition by Hindustan Aeronautics Limited. was done. The all-important ‘technology transfer’ to India was also envisaged in this international tender for 126 aircraft.
According to former Defense Minister AK Antony, 36 aircraft are being procured by the Modi government under an ‘inter-governmental agreement’. There are allegations of corruption in it. One party to the agreement, the French government, has ordered an inquiry through a judge. The only way out in this case is to accept accountability. JPC should be constituted for independent and fair investigation of all facts, evidence and allegations of corruption in Rafale deal. What is India doing when France has declared a probe?
Earlier, the Supreme Court has refused to divulge its details to the public. At that time the Defense Minister said in Parliament that Modi’s deal was nine per cent cheaper than the old deal. In the Comptroller and Auditor General’s report, it was described as cheaper by 2.9 percent. Many things were not clear about performance price and financial guarantee. As Pawan Kheda, the thing worth 570 crores has been bought for 1,670 crores. The government has to tell what is the truth. Who are the middlemen in this deal?
